harmony, as well as in piano playing and class singing. Sometimes
the girls were taken to afternoon concerts, but these dissipations were
generally reserved for winter, as there were so many other things in
summer to fill up the days.

One Wednesday half-holiday, when she had been at The Grange for about a
month, Aldred was sitting on the steps of the sundial, in company with
Dora Maxwell, Myfanwy James, and Phoebe Stanhope The sundial was a
place of general rendezvous in the garden. Here, as a rule, the tennis
sets were arranged, sides chosen for croquet or basket ball, leaders
elected, and disputes settled. It was as popular a spot as the market
cross in a country town, and during play-hours was the universal centre
for the whole school. The four girls had brought out books, and were
enjoying reading, with intervals of chatting. Mabel was having a music
lesson, so for once Aldred was apart from her almost inseparable
companion.

"It will be so jolly when we begin hockey on half-holidays!" said Dora.
"It's really been too hot for it so far; I quite agree with Miss
Drummond in that."

"I'm always glad when the cold weather sets in, and we can settle down
to all our ordinary winter arrangements," said Myfanwy. "I like the long
evenings, when it's dark by tea-time, and we can sit round the fire and
talk; it's really far more fun than the summer term."

"I love the summer best," said Aldred. "I like the flowers, and the
leaves on the trees, and the birds singing. Winter seems lonely without
them. I think it's so melancholy to have days and days without any
sunshine!"

"I don't mind the evenings being dark, but I hate getting up before it's
light," said Phoebe. "It's miserable to have to turn out of bed at
seven o'clock on chilly November and December mornings. I'm never like
the good boy in the story-books who gets up readily; it's always a
wrench for me."

"We've hard enough work to rouse you, certainly," admitted Dora. "If it
weren't for us, you'd be sweetly slumbering when the breakfast bell
rings. I can't imagine how you'd manage if you had a room to yourself,
instead of being in No. 5. Who wakes first, Aldred, you or Mabel?"

"Both together, generally," replied Aldred. "I don't see how anybody
could sleep through such a fearful clatter as the bell makes. It gives
me a horrible start every morning. It's worse than an alarm clock?"

"Oh, you'll get used to it in time!" declared Phoebe. "And then
perhaps you w